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Monday, March 18, 2013

First pickins' 2013

In October I went into the woodlot and cut up a small ash
tree that had fallen down a few years ago. When it fell over it hung up in
nearby trees and was suspended in the air. In time the branches gave way and it dropped
low enough to reach with the chainsaw.It gave me a nice rick, or face cord, of wood.A few weeks ago it looked like that rick
wouldn’t be needed this winter.Nice to
carry over some firewood to the next season I thought.Today I burnt the last of that rick and have
been splitting some large oak logs for more firewood.The first day of spring is predicted to start
below 20 degrees.Last year we had 80
degree temperatures in March.Soon
things will warm up I tell myself.

The
bean patch is definitely a little behind schedule this year.Sunday I picked the first batch of
overwintered spinach from the bed with the plastic greenhouse over it – 7
ounces.The spinach had grown to where
it needed thinning, and of course the plants that were removed will be
eaten.This is Burpee’s Double Choice
hybrid, a variety that I have had success with overwintering.The first taste is always a shock.It is far superior to supermarket
spinach.

The
first batch of brassica seedlings went into the greenhouse bed on Friday.In spite of the miserable weather I can see
that they have grown some since transplanting.There’s two Major broccoli, a Kolibri kohlrabi, a Grand Duke kohlrabi, a
Gonzalez cabbage and a tatsoi there.The
remaining brassicas will go into their own bed and there’s still some work to
do to get that bed ready.The next set
of seedlings will be ready for transplanting in about a week.Right now I’m thinking about covering the bed
with plastic to warm up the soil.

1 comment:

Excellent start! Spinach is one of my absolute favorite greens. I wait anxiously for it each year and savor the short season before it starts bolting. My hens got into my overwintered patch - so sadly I have to wait now for the spring planted crop to produce.

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About this Blog

I moved to this place in SW Indiana in 2008. The property is six acres of woods, pasture, yard and pond. Usable garden space with full sun is limited by surrounding trees to 250 square feet of raised beds, more the size of an urban garden. I use intensive techniques: rotation of plant families, nutrient cycling, cages and trellises, row cover and cold frames to get the most out of the space.

About Me

A native Hoosier, I worked in the construction trades and later in life got a chemistry degree and worked in a research lab until retirement. I raise vegetables because they taste better and it saves money. What other hobby pays for itself? I'm a cheapskate - I won't buy new seeds until the old ones aren't any good. I'm also a bit of a lazy gardener - if I can buy the seedlings I want then why start the seeds, or if I can engineer a way to make it less work I'll do so. I also drink too much beer. But I never (well almost never) work in the garden and drink beer.